EDC 102 Research: Unemployment Rates

Picture guideline at bottom of page.

What is the question?

What is the level of unemployment in your city? How does it compare on a statewide and nationally?

What does this question mean?

This question is asking what percentage of adults are unemployed and how that compares to the averages of Rhode Island and the USA.

Why might this question be useful in a context report?

This information can be useful to explain spending and funding in our public schools. This can also help determine the average socio-economic status and give you some information on what difficulties the children in your school may or may not face.

Where did you look for answers for this question?

http://www.bls.gov/LAU/#data
The website is going through some changes. The following link will work if the above does not.
http://www.bls.gov/data/#unemployment

Click the yellow "Multi-Screen" Data search icon next to Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Rhode island and national statistics are found here and are as follows.

RHODE ISLAND

8.5

Rhode Island is the second highest unemployment with a rating of 8.5%
Data found here: http://www.bls.gov/web/laumstrk.htm

The National rate rose from 5.7% to 6.1% in August 2008.
Data found here: http://www.bls.gov/cps/

For Example...

Select multi-screen data search (Yellow icon)


Select Rhode Island




Select the option that best represents your city



If you don't see your city listed on this list, go back and select another option on the previous screen.
Repeat until you get your city.


You are looking for unemployment rate


I've only tried 'not seasonally adjusted' choose this option or 'seasonally adjusted' if that is the only option.


You don't need to make any changes here unless you want to. Just scroll down and click 'Retrieve Data'


Et Voila!
The table gives you the unemployment percentages of the city you entered for this year and last year.